Hossein Ensan

Hossein Ensan, is an Iranian-German professional poker player, He won the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event for a whopping $10,000,000 (Biggest Cash). He has also won titles on the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker Circuit. More information about his early life and career as a poker player will be provided in greater detail.

Hossein Ensan: Early Life

Hossein Ensan was born in 1964 in Iran and moved to Germany in 1989. At the age of 25, he enrolled in civil engineering classes at the University of Munster. He met his wife and had a daughter during his studies. Ensan was forced to drop out of university in order to provide for his family.

He began working odd jobs like a painter, waiter, and taxi driver. Ensan bought three cars and established his own taxi company in 2002. The company provided financial stability to the Ensan family, enabling him to focus on his poker game outside of work.

He expressed his desire to become a professional player to compete in larger events. Ensan then sold his taxi company and began playing poker professionally, following strict bankroll management principles.

Hossein Ensan Poker Career

Ensan’s big break came in 2014 in Barcelona at the PokerStars EPT, along with a WSOP bracelet and WPT title.

Ensan won the Seniors Event in August 2014 for $6,066. He also participated in the EPT Barcelona Main Event, a massive event with 1,496 entries, and finished third, earning $860,091.

He also won two titles at the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo in May 2015, earning $97,429 and $4,068 respectively. The same year in September (2015) at the Rotterdam Series of Poker, Ensan won $13,618 and the trophy. In December of that year, he won yet another trophy, this time it was the Main Event of the European Poker Tour in Prague for $825,151.

Ensan’s incredible success continued in 2017 when he won a WSOP Circuit Ring for €184,812. He also finished third for €242,000 in an EPT High Roller—a €10,000 buy-in event that frequently attracts the world’s best players—in Prague..

In March 2022, he competed on the European Poker Tour in Prague. He finished 14th and earned $56,601.

Ensan’s outstanding performances continued in 2023. He took part in a number of tournaments, including the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Cyprus in Kyrenia in May 2023. He finished 13th and received $48,400. In terms of his most recent live tournament appearance, he was last seen in September at The Grand Big Wrap PLO by ZTO in Rozvadov, where he earned $48,778 by making the final table and finishing 7th.

Hossein Ensan 2019 WSOP Main Event Champion

Hossein Ensan has played many WSOP events over the years, but the one that will always stand out is the WSOP Main Event. Also known as “the big one” it is a $10,000 buy-in tournament that is considered poker’s biggest achievement. The 2019 WSOP Main Event drew a massive participant list of 8,569 players, ranging from total amateurs to all-time legends. 

Ensan was determined and ruthless in adding the game’s biggest title to his EPT Prague victory, becoming the first player to win both the WSOP Main Event and Europe’s leading tour.  He not only won poker’s biggest event, but also a huge pay day of $10 million.

Previous winners include Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Stu Ungar, as well as Phil Hellmuth and Chris Moneymaker, whose 2003 victory sparked the infamous noughties poker boom.

Conclusion

Hossein Ensan is a professional poker player who travels the world to compete in the largest poker tournaments. He may have had a rough start in life, but his decision to go pro paid off successfully with his largest win of $10 million. He’s already earned more than $13 million on the tournament circuit in just a few years, and it’s a safe bet that we haven’t seen the last of the German pro.